Teachers' federation, government of Saskatchewan sign new collective agreement

Alexander Quon · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 7:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Saskatchewan teachers and the provincial authorities person signed a caller corporate agreement, officially bringing an extremity to the long-running labour dispute. 

Teachers successful the state person been operating without a declaration since August 2023. 

Last month, an arbitration committee ruled that class complexity was required to be part of the caller contract. However, the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) and provincial authorities were directed to clasp further talks astir people complexity provisions. 

The woody signed contiguous means that connection has been formally worked out. 

STF President Samantha Becotte said the negotiations implicit the past period were "incredibly productive." 

"Probably our 2 astir productive days passim the past astir 2 years," said Becotte successful a telephone telephone this afternoon. 

Becotte remained tight-lipped connected the details astir the wording of the people complexity, saying she had yet to pass the accusation to the STF's members. 

What she did corroborate is that the connection includes provisions for "additional teachers successful schools crossed Saskatchewan."

That volition beryllium successful summation to a $20 cardinal per twelvemonth people complexity money that volition beryllium utilized to code people complexity issues successful section schoolhouse divisions. 

The statement was besides welcomed by Education Minister Everett Hindley. 

"We admit the enactment and collaboration of the bargaining committees to execute this effect and are pleased to person a caller statement that provides certainty for teachers, students and their families," said Hindley successful a statement. 

WATCH | Class complexity is to beryllium added to Sask. teachers' contract. But however volition that work?

The woody agreed to Friday means that Alberta is present the lone state oregon territory that does not person connection addressing people complexity successful its corporate bargaining agreement. 

Last month's arbitration determination besides awarded teachers a salary summation of 9 per cent implicit 3 years: four per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2023, 3 per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2024, and 2 per cent of arsenic of Sept. 1, 2025, STF says.

Becotte believes the declaration is simply a triumph for teachers and students, adjacent if it doesn't conscionable everything teachers needed. 

"It's not a cleanable solution to each of the challenges that teachers and students look wrong schools, but it is an important archetypal measurement that we needed to take," she said. 

'Work truly ne'er ends'

The STF organized rotating strikes and occupation enactment passim the archetypal fractional of 2024.

In June 2024, the 2 sides agreed to to arbitration connected teachers' wage and a schoolroom complexity-accountability framework.

Arbitration began in Saskatoon successful December.

The caller declaration volition beryllium retroactive to Sept. 1 2023 and tally until August 2026. 

Becotte admits the STF will already beryllium actively preparing for the adjacent circular of negotiations by consulting with its members adjacent arsenic this caller woody starts to beryllium implemented. 

"The enactment truly ne'er ends adjacent erstwhile we person a signing. But it's exciting," she said.